Abstract: A high speed vertical form, fill and seal packaging machine has a dual pump pouch-filling system, adjustable packaging material roll holders and side-seal jaws that are longer than pouches being formed in the machine, and which move with the packaging material traveling through the machine. Packaging material is moved in a semi-continuous manner and has side seals formed therein that are slit by a slitter system and pulled downwardly by a multi-jaw, rotary cross-seal system. After being completed, the formed pouches are cut off by a reciprocating or rotary cut-off system.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated flex-pack case packer for servicing a form-fill-seal machine. The flex-pack case packer employs a two-stage displacement cylinder to move an interchangeable head assembly having grippers that, when moved into position to receive severed flexible pouches from the form-fill-seal machine, grasp the flexible pouches. The head assembly is then retracted and swung from its horizontal position to a vertical position. Once an open top container is indexed into position, the head assembly is lowered toward the container and the grippers open to release the flexible pouches. Also, the lateral distances between the flexible pouches as they are held by their respective grippers can be expanded or contracted by using an air cylinder to actuate a rocker arm. A programmable controller coordinates all air control valve and solenoid activity.

Abstract: A cylindrical drum containing viscous product, tomato paste, is supported on end with its bung hole at the bottom emptying into a receiving vessel. A stationary spray pipe extends upwardly through the bung hole into the drum when supported on the turntable and includes a number of vertically spaced spray nozzles. Pressurized air is directed through the spray pipe to the top of the drum to remove most of the paste out of the drum. Then, water is sprayed under high pressure from the nozzles while the drum is simultaneously rotated on the turntable until the drum is sufficiently clean for reuse.

Abstract: An automatic carousel-type meat cutting machine in which slabs of meat are placed between pairs of rotating jaws that move around a center vertical axis. One jaw in each pair of jaws is spring-biased for gripping the meat, but the weight of the meat will cause it to move downwardly by gravity and rest on a meat-supporting horizontal and stationary platform. A section of the platform is made vertically adjustable with respect to the stationary part and may be adjusted to determine the thickness of the slices of meat cut from the slabs of meat. The stationary and adjustable sections form a complete circle and they support the slabs of meat which are moved by the pairs of meat guiding pairs of jaws. A horizontal portion of an endless band saw lies flush with the plane of the horizontal fixed platform section and the adjustable platform section is positioned therebelow to determine the thickness of the slice.